What are examples of honor in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout and her father have many important conversations, but one very important one happens in chapter three:

He tells Scout, 'You never really understand a person until you walk around in their skin,' indicating to Scout to consider things from the other person's point of view.

Again, Scout and her father are having an important conversation as to why Atticus is defending Tom Robinson. Atticus states that he would not respect himself if he did not do what he thinks is right by defending Tom:

'If you shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you doin' it?'

'For a number of reasons,' said Atticus. 'The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again.' […] 

'Atticus, are we going to win it?'

'No, honey.' 

'Then why-' 

'Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win,' Atticus said. (Chapter 9)

Atticus is being realistic. He thinks they are going to lose, but the truth has to begin somewhere. Perhaps, people will begin changing knowing that Atticus is defending Tom.

When Scout is speaking with her father, she states what other folks are thinking:

'Atticus, you must be wrong....'

'How's that?'

'Well, most folks seem to think they're right and you're wrong....'

'They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions,' said Atticus, 'but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.' (Chapter 11)

This conversation is quite important in that Scout is really questioning whether or not Atticus is wrong in defending Tom Robinson. Based on what others think, Atticus is wrong. But even in their own thoughts, Atticus states that they are entitled to full respect for their opinions.

Another instance when Atticus is teaching his children respect occurs in chapter eleven. Even when Mrs. Dubose is rude, Atticus says she has to be shown respect:

'Son, I have no doubt that you've been annoyed by your contemporaries about me lawing for niggers, as you say, but to do something like this to a sick old lady is inexcusable. I strongly advise you to go down and have a talk with Mrs. Dubose,' said Atticus. 'Come straight home afterward.' (Chapter 11)

Atticus insists that his children treat everyone with respect, even when others are rude.

Atticus realizes he is fighting a losing battle, but he is determined to tell the truth:

'Link, that boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told.' Atticus's voice was even. 'And you know what the truth is.' (Chapter 15)

Atticus did his best to defend Tom Robinson. Even though he lost the trial, he won a war in that he did the right thing, no matter how many people were offended by it.

With respect to the concept of honor, the character of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird is very closely associated.  Serving as a sterling example of integrity to his children, Atticus Finch acts always with the idea of doing what is right. As a paradigm for all that he does, and for what he desires his children to do, Atticus says something to Jem in Chapter 11,

"The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."

Before the trial of Tom Robinson, Atticus talks to his brother Jack who inquires why Atticus did not try to avoid taking the case. Because he feels that this case is"something that goes to the essence of a man's conscience," (11)  Atticus replies honorably,

"...do you think I could face my children otherwise?  You know what's going to happen as well as I do, jack, and I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bietterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb's usual disease." (9)

Always Atticus behaves honorably towards all his neighbors.  When Mrs. Dubose hurls insults about him to his children and Jem retaliates by cutting the blooms from her ---, Atticus, nevertheless, speaks politely to her whenever he sees her.  Furthermore, he requires Jem to make retribution for his vindictive act by reading to Mrs. Dubose.  He tells Jem that while Mirs. Dubose has been entitled to her opinion, he would rather that she just insult him directly instead of through his children.  However, he explains, she is an old, ailing woman.  Atticus adds,

"but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself." (11)

After Mrs. Dubose takes herself off the morphine that she has used to reduce her pain, Atticus tells Jem and Scout,

"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do."

Even after Bob Ewell spits in his face, Atticus does not become petty, but tells Jem, with his usual integrity,

"...see if you can stand in Bob Ewell's shoes a minute....The man had to have some kind of comeback...You understand?"

Atticus has as his motto, "Best way to clear the air is to have it all out in the open." (30)

Miss Maudie, who is the voice of common sense throughout the novel, recognizes the integrity and honor of Atticus Finch as she says to his children,

"If your father's anything, he's civilized in his heart," (10)

What are five examples of dignity in To Kill a Mockingbird?

1. In chapter 9, Atticus displays his dignity by explaining to his daughter the reason he is choosing to defend Tom Robinson despite the fact that the community disagrees with his decision. Atticus tells Scout, 

"Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win." (78)

2. In chapter 16, Miss Maudie displays her dignity by refusing to attend the Tom Robinson trial. While the rest of the community is traveling to the courtroom to watch Tom fight for his life, Maudie stays at home and hopes that Atticus sways the jury. When the children ask Maudie if she is going, she says, 

"I am not. ‘t’s morbid, watching a poor devil on trial for his life. Look at all those folks, it’s like a Roman carnival." (161)

3. Tom Robinson displays his dignity during the trial by telling the truth about why he continually helped Mayella Ewell with chores without expecting pay. Tom tells the prosecutor,

"Yes, suh. I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more’n the rest of ‘em—" (201)

4. In chapter 23, Atticus explains to his children that one of the Cunningham family members in the jury voted for an outright acquittal. He then proceeds to describe the Cunningham family, and comments on their dignity by telling his children, 

" . . . the Cunninghams hadn’t taken anything from or off of anybody since they migrated to the New World. He said the other thing about them was, once you earned their respect they were for you tooth and nail." (226)

5. Following Bob Ewell's death, Sheriff Tate displays his dignity by refusing to tell the community about Boo Radley's heroics. Mr. Tate tells Atticus, 

"To my way of thinkin’, Mr. Finch, taking the one man who’s done you and this town a great service an‘ draggin’ him with his shy ways into the limelight—to me, that’s a sin. It’s a sin and I’m not about to have it on my head. If it was any other man, it’d be different. But not this man, Mr. Finch." (280)

WALTER CUNNINGHAM SR.  When Atticus provides Mr. Cunningham with legal advice concerning his entailment, Cunningham tells his attorney that he doesn't know when he will be able to pay. Atticus tells him to make it "the least of your worries." He explains to Scout that the Cunninghams are a different "breed of men." But Atticus knows he will be paid.

"Not in money," Atticus said, "but before the year's out, I'll have been paid. You watch."

MRS. DUBOSE.  During her final days, Mrs. Dubose successfully rids herself of her morphine addiction, a goal that caused her great pain but the ultimate satisfaction of dying "beholden to nothing and nobody." Atticus tells Jem that

"... I wanted you to see what real courage is... It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what."

DOLPHUS RAYMOND.  While Scout and Dill take a break from the trial, Mr. Raymond explains why Dill won't cry as frequently when he becomes grown. When Scout asks, "Cry about what?", Mr. Raymond emotionally tells her.

"Cry about the simple hell people give other people--without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think that they're people, too."

ATTICUS' TRIAL SUMMATION.  Atticus' memorable summation falls on the deaf ears of the jury, but in it he tries to explain the difference between the Ewells and the innocent, black defendant, Tom Robinson.

"And so a quiet, respectable, humble Negro who had the unmitigated temerity to 'feel sorry' for a white woman has had to put his word against two white people's..."

AUNT ALEXANDRA & MISS MAUDIE.  Following Atticus' announcement that Tom has been killed, Maudie and Alexandra put on their best faces and return to serving refreshments for the missionary circle. Scout is highly impressed with their demeanor.

After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could l. 

How is human dignity portrayed in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee portrays human dignity through the choices made by the characters. For example, Atticus makes a choice to defend a black man to the best of his ability in spite of many citizens feeling strongly he should do otherwise. Atticus also chooses to look past the hurtful comments he and his children receive as a result of his choice. It is his decision to continue along the path of doing what is right over doing what is comfortable that shows dignity.

In contrast, consider Bob Ewell. His decisions are made in attempts to do what is comfortable and convenient above what is right or true. Upon finding his daughter with Tom Robinson, Bob beats her and blames an innocent man. While Atticus models compassion for his children, Bob Ewell models racism and deceit.

At the end of the story, Sheriff Heck Tate faces a dilemma. He knows the truth about the events with Boo Radley and Bob Ewell. In this case, Sheriff Tate sees a difference between what is right and what is true. Here, human dignity is portrayed through Sheriff Tate's choice to protect Boo.

Atticus Finch is about as dignified as a character as you'll ever see in American Literature.  Atticus defends Tom to the best of his ability even though many people in the town think he shouldn't.  Atticus does the right thing no matter what.  At one point he tells Scout that if he didn't defend Tom, he wouldn't be able to tell Scout and Jem not to something again. 

The answers are related, but distinct. Lee portrays it as everyone's responsibility to fight for human dignity, and indicates that the battle can be fought everywhere and anywhere; human dignity is generated through moral courage and depends on that quality. Whether it is Calpurnia protecting the children at her church or Atticus defending Tom, characters attain dignity not through winning their battles but through standing up for what they know to be right.